Top Ranked Lake Forest Private Schools (2026-27)

Fusion Academy Lake Forest

Gr: 6-12 | 67 students

Avg. class size: 1 student

Alternative School

840 S. Waukegan Road, Suite 224

Lake Forest, IL 60045

(877) 673-8893

(5)

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East Lake Academy

Gr: PK-8 | 128 students

Avg. class size: 12 students

Sports: 3 | Extracurriculars: 14

Catholic

13911 W. Laurel Drive

Lake Forest, IL 60045

(847) 247-0035

(4)

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Lake Forest Academy

Gr: 9-12 | 452 students

Avg. class size: 12 students

Sports: 15 | Extracurriculars: 25

1500 W Kennedy Rd

Lake Forest, IL 60045

(847) 615-3257

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Lake Forest Country Day School

Gr: NS-8 | 406 students

Sports: 12 | Extracurriculars: 3

145 S. Green Bay Road

Lake Forest, IL 60045

(847) 234-2350

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School Of St. Mary

Gr: PK-8 | 425 students

Avg. class size: 19 students

Sports: 7 | Extracurriculars: 3

Catholic

185 E Illinois Rd

Lake Forest, IL 60045

(847) 283-9800

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School Of St. Mary Upper Grade Center

Gr: PK-8 | 470 students

Catholic

900 W Everett Rd

Lake Forest, IL 60045

(847) 234-0371

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Woodlands Academy Of The Sacred Heart

Gr: 9-12 | 100 students

Avg. class size: 10 students

Sports: 7

All-girls (Catholic)

760 E Westleigh Rd

Lake Forest, IL 60045

(847) 234-4300

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Dearhaven Childcare & Learning Center

Gr: PK-K | 37 students

Daycare / Preschool

1100 N Westmoreland Rd

Lake Forest, IL 60045

(847) 535-6175

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Montessori School Of Lake Forest

Gr: PK-8 | 178 students

Extracurriculars: 5

Montessori School

13700 W Laurel Dr

Lake Forest, IL 60045

(847) 918-1000

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Lake Forest, IL Private School Trends (10-Year)

Private Schools

+28.6% (+2 schools) 10-yr

2,263

Students

+10.8% (+221 students) 10-yr

$24,024

Avg. Tuition

+5.1% (+$1,176) 10-yr

Avg. Class Size

19%

Students of Color

-24.0% (-6.0 pp) 10-yr

8:1

Student-Teacher Ratio

-11.1% (-1.0) 10-yr

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Enrollment & Diversity

Category

This Town (Lake Forest)

This State (IL)

# Schools

9 Schools

1,625 Schools

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Trends in Total Number of Private Schools
Year	Lake Forest, IL Total Schools
2025	9
2024	9
2023	9
2022	9
2021	9
2020	9
2019	9
2018	9
2017	8
2016	8
2015	7

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# Students

2,263 Students

251,321 Students

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Trends in the Average Number of Students Per Private School
Year	Lake Forest, IL Avg	Illinois (IL)	National
2025	254	166	179
2024	254	162	172
2023	250	171	174
2022	246	178	185
2021	246	174	180
2020	249	168	171
2019	253	174	175
2018	264	171	172
2017	299	177	180
2016	302	175	178
2015	292	168	167

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% Students of Color

19%

34%

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Percentage of Students of Color Trends (2015-2025)
Year	Lake Forest, IL Avg	Illinois (IL)	National
2025	19%	34%	34%
2024	18%	34%	34%
2023	21%	34%	33%
2022	20%	34%	33%
2021	20%	34%	32%
2020	19%	35%	32%
2019	23%	33%	31%
2018	23%	33%	31%
2017	27%	34%	32%
2016	26%	34%	32%
2015	25%	35%	32%

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0.54

0.66

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Diversity Score Trends
Year	Lake Forest, IL Avg	Illinois (IL)	National
2025	0.54	0.66	0.65
2024	0.54	0.66	0.65
2023	0.54	0.66	0.65
2022	0.44	0.65	0.64
2021	0.44	0.65	0.64
2020	0.44	0.66	0.64
2019	0.55	0.65	0.63
2018	0.57	0.65	0.63
2017	0.58	0.62	0.61
2016	0.58	0.62	0.61
2015	0.56	0.63	0.61

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Show more data/charts: racial breakdown

# American Indian Students

9 Students

605 Students

% American Indian Students

n/a

# Asian Students

195 Students

10,480 Students

% Asian Students

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Asian Student Percentage Trends
Year	Lake Forest, IL Avg	Illinois (IL)	National
2025	9%	5%	5%
2024	9%	5%	5%
2023	9%	5%	5%
2022	10%	4%	4%
2021	10%	5%	4%
2020	10%	4%	4%
2019	10%	4%	4%
2018	10%	5%	4%
2017	11%	4%	4%
2016	11%	3%	4%
2015	11%	4%	4%

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# Hispanic Students

99 Students

25,032 Students

% Hispanic Students

10%

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Hispanic Student Percentage Trends
Year	Lake Forest, IL Avg	Illinois (IL)	National
2025	5%	10%	9%
2024	5%	10%	9%
2023	5%	10%	9%
2022	4%	10%	8%
2021	4%	10%	9%
2020	4%	10%	9%
2019	4%	9%	8%
2018	3%	9%	8%
2017	4%	9%	8%
2016	4%	9%	8%
2015	4%	9%	8%

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# Black Students

51 Students

21,046 Students

% Black Students

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Black Student Percentage Trends
Year	Lake Forest, IL Avg	Illinois (IL)	National
2025	2%	8%	7%
2024	2%	8%	7%
2023	3%	8%	8%
2022	2%	8%	7%
2021	2%	8%	7%
2020	2%	9%	8%
2019	3%	9%	7%
2018	2%	9%	7%
2017	2%	9%	7%
2016	2%	9%	7%
2015	3%	9%	8%

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# White Students

1,384 Students

128,859 Students

% White Students

65%

51%

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White Student Percentage Trends
Year	Lake Forest, IL Avg	Illinois (IL)	National
2025	65%	51%	52%
2024	65%	51%	52%
2023	65%	51%	52%
2022	74%	53%	54%
2021	74%	52%	54%
2020	74%	52%	54%
2019	64%	53%	56%
2018	61%	53%	56%
2017	60%	56%	58%
2016	60%	56%	58%
2015	62%	55%	58%

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# Hawaiian Students

n/a

338 Students

% Hawaiian Students

n/a

# Two or more races Students

n/a

% of Two or more races Students

n/a

# Others Students

398 Students

65,474 Students

% of Others Students

19%

26%

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Other Races Student Percentage Trends
Year	Lake Forest, IL Avg	Illinois (IL)	National
2025	19%	26%	26%
2024	19%	26%	26%
2023	17%	26%	25%
2022	8%	25%	25%
2021	8%	25%	25%
2020	8%	25%	24%
2019	19%	25%	24%
2018	24%	24%	23%
2017	23%	22%	22%
2016	23%	23%	22%
2015	20%	23%	21%

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All Ethnic Groups

Academics

# Teachers

293 Teachers

18,870 Teachers

Average Student-Teacher Ratio

8:1

13:1

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Student-Teacher Ratio Trends (2015-2025)
Year	Lake Forest, IL Avg	Illinois (IL)	National
2025	8:1	13:1	11:1
2024	8:1	13:1	11:1
2023	8:1	13:1	11:1
2022	7:1	13:1	11:1
2021	7:1	13:1	11:1
2020	7:1	13:1	12:1
2019	7:1	13:1	12:1
2018	7:1	14:1	12:1
2017	9:1	14:1	12:1
2016	9:1	14:1	12:1
2015	9:1	14:1	12:1

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% Average Faculty w/Advanced Degree

58%

53%

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Percentage of Faculty With Advanced Degrees Trends (2015-2025)
Year	Lake Forest, IL Avg	Illinois (IL)	National
2025	51%	53%	55%
2024	53%	52%	54%
2023	60%	50%	54%
2022	60%	51%	54%
2021	60%	50%	54%
2020	60%	50%	54%
2019	60%	50%	53%
2018	60%	49%	53%
2017	60%	48%	53%
2016	60%	49%	52%
2015	60%	50%	52%

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Average Class Size

12 students

16 students

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Class Size Trends (2015-2025)
Year	Lake Forest, IL Avg	Illinois (IL)	National
2025	12	16	15
2024	11	17	15
2023	10	17	15
2022	10	17	15
2021	10	17	15
2020	10	17	15
2019	10	17	15
2018	10	17	15
2017	8	17	15
2016	8	17	15
2015	12	17	15

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Average Number of AP Courses

27 courses

11 courses

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Trends in Average Number of AP Courses Offered
Year	Lake Forest, IL Avg	Illinois (IL)	National
2025	24	11	13
2024	24	9	12
2023	23	9	11
2022	21	9	11
2021	21	9	11
2020	21	9	11
2019	21	8	11
2018	21	8	11
2017	21	8	10
2016	21	9	10
2015	21	9	10

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Average SAT score

1450

(Out of 1600)

1259

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SAT Score Trends (2019-2025)
Year	Lake Forest, IL Avg	Illinois (IL)	National
2025	1430	1258	1233
2024	1430	1260	1230
2023	1290	1245	1228
2022	1290	1242	1229
2021	1290	1252	1229
2020	1290	1246	1226
2019	1290	1239	1226

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Average ACT score

(Out of 36)

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ACT Score Trends (2015-2025)
Year	Lake Forest, IL Avg	Illinois (IL)	National
2025	32	25	26
2024	31	25	26
2023	27	25	26
2022	27	25	26
2021	27	25	26
2020	27	25	25
2019	27	25	25
2018	27	25	25
2017	27	25	25
2016	27	24	25
2015	27	24	25

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Tuition & Aid

Average Yearly Tuition Cost

$24,024

$12,436

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Tuition Cost Trends (2015-2025)
Year	Lake Forest, IL Avg	Illinois (IL)	National
2025	$23,586	$12,671	$15,012
2024	$32,070	$9,594	$13,254
2023	$28,800	$8,924	$12,626
2022	$22,463	$8,609	$12,187
2021	$22,463	$8,334	$11,800
2020	$38,000	$8,312	$11,512
2019	$38,000	$8,068	$11,293
2018	$38,000	$7,898	$11,017
2017	$22,965	$7,863	$10,708
2016	$22,965	$7,289	$10,356
2015	$22,848	$7,003	$9,939

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Average % on Financial Aid

20%

34%

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Percent on Financial Aid Trends (2015-2025)
Year	Lake Forest, IL Avg	Illinois (IL)	National
2025	20%	34%	34%
2024	20%	33%	34%
2023	21%	33%	34%
2022	16%	32%	33%
2021	16%	31%	33%
2020	16%	32%	32%
2019	16%	31%	31%
2018	16%	30%	30%
2017	21%	29%	30%
2016	18%	29%	29%
2015	18%	28%	28%

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Average Endowment Size

$42.1 million

$31.52 million

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Endowment Trends (2024-2025)
Year	Lake Forest, IL Avg	Illinois (IL)	National
2025	$194 M	$34 M	$39 M
2024	$45 M	$14 M	$39 M

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Admissions & Athletics

Average Acceptance Rate

66%

85%

View Data

Acceptance Rate Trends (2015-2025)
Year	Lake Forest, IL Avg	Illinois (IL)	National
2025	72%	84%	81%
2024	59%	90%	85%
2023	48%	91%	85%
2022	65%	91%	85%
2021	65%	91%	85%
2020	65%	91%	85%
2019	65%	90%	85%
2018	65%	90%	85%
2017	65%	90%	85%
2016	65%	92%	85%
2015	65%	92%	85%

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Average Number of Extracurriculars

10 extracurriculars

9 extracurriculars

Average Number of Sports

9 sports

6 sports

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the top ranked private schools in Lake Forest, IL?

The private schools in Lake Forest, IL include East Lake Academy, Woodlands Academy Of The Sacred Heart, and Lake Forest Country Day School.

How many private schools are located in Lake Forest?

9 private schools are located in Lake Forest.

How diverse are private schools in Lake Forest?

Lake Forest private schools are approximately 19% minority students, which is lower than the Illinois private school average of 34%.

What percentage of students in Lake Forest go to private school?

42% of all K-12 students in Lake Forest are educated in private schools (compared to the IL state average of 12%).

What percentage of private schools are religiously affiliated in Lake Forest?

44% of private schools in Lake Forest are religiously affiliated (most commonly Catholic).

Which private schools in Lake Forest are often viewed compared to one another?

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Quick Facts (2026-27)

Quick Facts (2026-27)

Top Ranked Lake Forest Private Schools (2026-27)

Lake Forest, IL Private School Trends (10-Year)

Trends in Total Number of Private Schools

Trends in the Average Number of Students Per Private School

Percentage of Students of Color Trends (2015-2025)

Diversity Score Trends

Asian Student Percentage Trends

Hispanic Student Percentage Trends

Black Student Percentage Trends

White Student Percentage Trends

Other Races Student Percentage Trends

Student-Teacher Ratio Trends (2015-2025)

Percentage of Faculty With Advanced Degrees Trends (2015-2025)

Class Size Trends (2015-2025)

Trends in Average Number of AP Courses Offered

SAT Score Trends (2019-2025)

ACT Score Trends (2015-2025)

Tuition Cost Trends (2015-2025)

Percent on Financial Aid Trends (2015-2025)

Endowment Trends (2024-2025)

Acceptance Rate Trends (2015-2025)

Frequently Asked Questions

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